Method and apparatus for high pressure radial pulsed jetting of lateral passages from vertical to horizontal wellbores

Abstract

An apparatus and system that permits radial passages and lateral passages to be jetted into surrounding subsurface formation from existing or new wells. The system employs a casing cutting component that positionable by an anchored indexing device downhole to permit the formation of accurately positioned openings in the well casing. The system employs a passage jetting component employing extreme high jet fluid pressures and a method that allows for the downhole manipulation of the components so that the radial and lateral passages are achieved by minimum pulling work on casing, tubing or other components. The system is fully controllable and reduces dramatically the margins of error and failure that are inherent of the present day systems used for radial drilling.

I claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for jet forming a plurality of lateral passages extending from a casing lined wellbore into the surrounding formation, comprising:
 an indexing mechanism defining an anchor body and having casing anchor devices being secured at a desired location and selected rotational azimuth orientation within a well casing and defining a first indexing profile having upwardly facing angulated indexing surfaces defining a plurality of rotational indexing positions, said indexing mechanism having a seat orienting body supporting said first indexing profile and defining a stinger receptacle; 
 a casing cutting mechanism having a tubular conveyance body and a deflector shoe mounted to said tubular conveyance body and defining a second indexing profile having a plurality of downwardly facing angulated indexing profile surfaces being positionable in selectively rotationally indexed and non-rotatable relation with said first indexing profile when said casing cutting mechanism is moved into seated relation with said first indexing profile; 
 a stinger member projecting downwardly from said casing cutting mechanism and guiding said casing cutting mechanism into oriented non-rotatable relation with said first indexing profile and engaging within said stinger receptacle; 
 a deflector shoe being mounted to said tubular conveyance body, said deflector shoe defining a shaft guide passage and a laterally oriented shaft guide passage exit opening and support and orienting said second indexing profile for indexing engagement with said first indexing profile; 
 an internal drive member being supported within said tubular conveyance body and having a rotary motor and a motor operated pump; 
 a flexible drive shaft being rotated by said rotary motor and being located within said shaft guide passage for rotary and linear movement; 
 coiled tubing extending from the surface through the well casing and having fluid supplying and conveying connection with said internal drive member and supplying fluid to said motor operated pump; 
 a cutter device being mounted to said flexible drive shaft and cutting an opening in the well casing upon motor operated rotation of said flexible drive shaft and lateral advancing movement of said flexible drive shaft and cutter device from said deflector shoe; and 
 a latch mechanism having a first latch component within said tubular conveyance body and a second latch component mounted to said internal drive member, said latch mechanism being hydraulically actuatable to release said second latch component from said first latch component and permit said linear movement of said internal drive member within tubular conveyance body, said latch mechanism being hydraulically actuated to a latched condition permitting retrieval of said casing cutting mechanism from the well casing. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 said internal drive member and said flexible drive shaft being sufficiently linearly moveable within said tubular conveyance body and said shaft guide passage for moving said cutter device through said guide passage exit opening and through the well casing during cutting of a lateral passage opening in the well casing. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a lateral passage jet forming mechanism being run into the well casing on coiled tubing independently of said casing cutting mechanism and having a second tubular conveyance body; 
 a deflecting and hose guide shoe being mounted to said tubular conveyance body and defining a hose guide passage having a portion thereof oriented laterally, said deflecting and hose guide shoe defining a hose exit opening being oriented in registry with a casing opining being previously cut by said casing cutting mechanism; 
 a third indexing mechanism being mounted to said deflecting and hose guide shoe and defining a third indexing profile being oriented for rotary position indexing engagement with said first indexing profile and positioning said hose exit opening in registry with a previously cut casing opening; 
 a pulse generator being located within said tubular conveyance body and having a tubing connector and being connected in fluid communicating relation with said coiled tubing, said pulse generator receiving lateral passage jetting fluid from said coiled tubing and developing a pulsating output of high pressure lateral passage jetting fluid; 
 a high pressure flexible hose being in fluid communication with said pulse generator and extending through said tubular conveyance body and within said hose guide passage and being movable during jet forming of a lateral passage into the surrounding formation; and 
 a jet nozzle being mounted to said high pressure flexible hose and being movable through a lateral passage opening of the casing and into the surrounding formation as a pulsing jet of high pressure fluid erodes the formation material. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , comprising: said pulse generator being sufficiently linearly moveable within said tubular conveyance body to extend substantially the complete length of said high pressure flexible hose into the surrounding formation. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 3 , comprising:
 a first latch component being mounted within said tubular conveyance body; and 
 a second latch component being mounted to said pulse generator and being hydraulically actuatable to a latched position securing said pulse generator against movement within said tubular conveyance body and permitting running and retrieval of said lateral passage jet forming mechanism into and from the well casing and a release position releasing said pulse generator from said tubular conveyance body and permitting lateral passage jetting movement of said pulse generator and said high pressure flexible hose within said tubular conveyance body. 
 
     
     
       6. Apparatus for jet forming a plurality of lateral passages extending from a casing lined wellbore into the surrounding formation, comprising:
 an indexing mechanism defining an anchor body and having casing anchor devices being secured at a desired location and selected rotational azimuth orientation within a well casing and defining a first indexing profile having upwardly facing angulated indexing surfaces defining a plurality of rotational indexing positions, said indexing mechanism having a seat orienting body supporting said first indexing profile and defining a stinger receptacle; 
 a casing cutting mechanism having a tubular conveyance body and a deflector shoe mounted to said tubular conveyance body and defining a second indexing profile having a plurality of downwardly facing angulated indexing profile surfaces being positionable in selectively rotationally indexed and non-rotatable relation with said first indexing profile when said casing cutting mechanism is moved into seated relation with said first indexing profile; 
 a stinger member projecting downwardly from said casing cutting mechanism and guiding said casing cutting mechanism into oriented non-rotatable relation with said first indexing profile and engaging within said stinger receptacle; 
 a deflector shoe being mounted to said tubular conveyance body, said deflector shoe defining a shaft guide passage and a laterally oriented shaft guide passage exit opening and support and orienting said second indexing profile for indexing engagement with said first indexing profile; 
 an internal drive member being supported within said tubular conveyance body and having a rotary motor and a motor operated pump; 
 a flexible drive shaft being rotated by said rotary motor and being located within said shaft guide passage for rotary and linear movement; 
 coiled tubing extending from the surface through the well casing and having fluid supplying and conveying connection with said internal drive member and supplying fluid to said motor operated pump; 
 a cutter device being mounted to said flexible drive shaft and cutting an opening in the well casing upon motor operated rotation of said flexible drive shaft and lateral advancing movement of said flexible drive shaft and cutter device from said deflector shoe; 
 a lateral passage jet forming mechanism being run into the well casing on coiled tubing independently of said casing cutting mechanism and having a second tubular conveyance body; 
 a deflecting and hose guide shoe being mounted to said tubular conveyance body and defining a hose guide passage having a portion thereof oriented laterally, said deflecting and hose guide shoe defining a hose exit opening being oriented in registry with a casing opining being previously cut by said casing cutting mechanism; 
 a third indexing mechanism being mounted to said deflecting and hose guide shoe and defining a third indexing profile being oriented for rotary position indexing engagement with said first indexing profile and positioning said hose exit opening in registry with a previously cut casing opening; 
 a pulse generator being located within said tubular conveyance body and having a tubing connector and being connected in fluid communicating relation with said coiled tubing, said pulse generator receiving lateral passage jetting fluid from said coiled tubing and developing a pulsating output of high pressure lateral passage jetting fluid; 
 a high pressure flexible hose being in fluid communication with said pulse generator and extending through said tubular conveyance body and within said hose guide passage and being movable during jet forming of a lateral passage into the surrounding formation; 
 a jet nozzle being mounted to said high pressure flexible hose and being movable through a lateral passage opening of the casing and into the surrounding formation as a pulsing jet of high pressure fluid erodes the formation material; 
 a first latch component being mounted within said tubular conveyance body; and 
 a second latch component being mounted to said pulse generator and being hydraulically actuatable to a latched position securing said pulse generator against movement within said tubular conveyance body and permitting running and retrieval of said lateral passage jet forming mechanism into and from the well casing and a release position releasing said pulse generator from said tubular conveyance body and permitting lateral passage jetting movement of said pulse generator and said high pressure flexible hose within said tubular conveyance body.